Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:55:45 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: 91 Westy, idle problem
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="utf-8"; reply-type=response
hi Dave,
the ideal way to test Idle valves and the control unit for it is to have
known-good used units to try.
if it's one or the other ...........and it's a 'clean' black/white
situation .......
quite easy to identify which it is .........or trying both of yoours on a
known-good 2.1 vanagon engine is nice too........but not always avaiable to
most people.
i'm curious what you mean by :
" electronic unit on the end of the icv is very difficult to remove, "
the electronic control unit for the Idle control Valve is behind the right
tail light, behind the black cardboard by the air filter box. it's not on
the end of the valve in any way.
also ............" the lowest level the set
> screw "
you don't adjust the idel with any set screw. There is a screw with lock nut
.....but you'd best not be touching that one. !
Yeah, seriously ......
I just looked at some 2.1 throttle bodies......and there is a set screw,
sealed with red stuff at the factory.
that is NOT the idle adjsutment screw.
The purpose of that screw is to keep the throttle plate from jamming into
the throttle body bore, due to the return spring pressure. If the throttle
plate is allowe to rest against the inside of the throttle body, it'll just
wear then, get jammed, carve a groove etc.
So that screw is there to bear the load of the return springs and keep the
throttle plate 'right at zero' .....or 'zero plus a bare smiddgen of not
closed all the way.'
there is a large screw ( about 3/8 inch diamter ) looking right at you on
the side of the throttle body while you are standing over the engine.
this is an air bypass screw ..........turning it counterclockwise lets more
air around the throttle plate, and thus idle speed increases, That's how
you adjust idle on a 2.1 waterboxer vanagon engine.
Maybe that's what you mean anway .........but I can't help thinking 'set
screw' would mean that throttle lever stop scew that is sealed with red
stuff, which normall isn't touched at all.
Other things have be right too of course. ....about idle speed, several
things need to be right as well, not just the position of the air idle
screw.
scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2009 11:14 AM
Subject: 91 Westy, idle problem
> Well, many, many have queried and prescribed regarding this. My 2.1
> idled way too fast, sometimes. A good mechanic said (as have many of
> you) idle control valve (he called it idle air controller, but it was
> the same beast). I left the van with him, asking him to do all usual
> "tune-up" things like plugs, wires, rotor, distributor cap as well. He
> did those, but only cleaned the icv, telling me that a new one cost
> $550, that there were only two available in the U.S., and it would take
> him several days to get one. I found one on-line at United Auto Parts
> for $222. Has anyone had any experience with them? Are their parts any
> good? I haven't ordered it yet. He did not mention the idle control
> unit. I found that it costs another $280 or so. I drove the van 30
> miles, all seemed well. But after reading all the past posts, I thought
> I'd set the idle myself, following instructions several have given.
>
> I found two significant things as I attempted to do so: (1) The
> electronic unit on the end of the icv is very difficult to remove, and I
> was afraid I'd break it. How to remove it?? (2) Looks like my
> mechanic had simply turned the idle down to the lowest level the set
> screw will go to. At that position, my van is idling at about 1100 rpm.
> That is, in fact, why I was going to set it myself. But, it is as low
> as it will go, and I cannot disconnet the icv anyway.
>
> So -- do I need an icv, and an icu, one or the other or both? The icv
> does hum (or has a very slight vibration that I can feel).
>
> Any help appreciated.
>
> David McNeely
| 
